Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 January 1911 — WOLGAST WILL FIGHT MORAN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WOLGAST WILL FIGHT MORAN

Declares Englishman Will Be Hie First Opponent When He Returns f < Early in the Bpring.

In the following article, published by the Chicago Tribune, Ad Wolgast, the most criticized pugilistic champion in the ring today, attempts to answer his, critics and incidentally tells what his intentions are in regard to Owen Moran and the rest of the lightweights who are clamoring at the championship door for recognition: I am a fighter, hot a press agent, but I have been attacked so much and roasted so generously that I believe it is up to me to tell the public a few facts. All this talk about my alleged loafing does not bother me a bit, for when I get in shape I'll step out and make all my critics take off their hats to me.

And rffeht here let me say that Moran will get the first chance. I held him to a draw in New York when I had never fought anybody but duhs, and had only been in the business a year, 30 does it stand to reason that I fear him now, when I have improved 1,000 per cent, and he is the same scrapper he was three years ago? If Moran wants to fight me right away, why did he sign up for a three months' tour on the stage? Not that I mean that he fears me, but just the same when it comes time to fight see if I am not prepared before he is.

I have had two fights since I won the title from Nelson last February, and there has been an awful yell because I have not boxed oftener. If my "panning” friends would take time to remember they would probably recollect that Nelson did not fight for six months after his first fight with Gang,

And no one roasted him. In' the first bout, that with Redmond in Milwaukee, I broke a small bone in my wrist. I know the accident has been sneered at, but if any sporting writer in the country doubts the seriousness of the injury I will show him the signed affidavits of two of the most prominent doctors of Milwaukee. Stung by the criticism of a lot of Nelson boosters, I took on a young fellow at a small town In Wisconsin two months later to see whether my arm could stand the strain. It was a foolish venture, for I broke the bone in the same place again. Had my arm stood tjie strain I would have signed to box Nelson in November, as I had announced immediately after I won the title.

Just when I will be ready to fight is a question. I have been doing some light work with my bad arm, and it is coming along nicely. Naturally, with a big fight in sight I wish to take matters easily, and you can take It from me that I will not enter the ring again until I am absolutely certain that the wing is O. K. When it gets right, which I think will be in about a month, I will be ready for any and all of them. Fighting is the way I make my living, and the cost of living Is pretty high. I hear that Knockout Brown is on my trail. Who is this Knockout person? I never heard of him until he won from Tommy Murphy, and anyone who cannot beat* Tommy Murphy ought to take to selling hair ribbons. If Mr. Brown wants a fight he will have to get a reputation first Let him fight Moran or Attell, or some one of class, and if he beats them I will be ready to talk to him. There is absolutely no chance of my fighting Nelson unless the, public forces me into it Just by way of closing, I beg the public to wait just a little while. I have had a long rest and feel like a bulldog. When my arm gets the boxing followers of the country will see all they want of the lightweight champion.

“Ad” Wolgast.